Passion and courage are key to entrepreneurial success in Africa, says airline industry pioneer Sibongile Rejoyce Sambo, who was once rejected by airline companies as a stewardess because she was not tall enough. But later, she made a name for herself by starting her own air charter company, SRS Aviation, in 2004. A novice who wouldn't get bank loans but still managed to raise the money from her mother and aunt's pension funds, the South African entrepreneur became a success story, especially for breaking into what was essentially a male stronghold. The 42-year-old talks about her recipe for success and future plans to ChinAfrica reporters Sudeshna Sarkar and Liu Jian.

ChinAfrica: What made you start an air charter business?

Sibongile Rejoyce Sambo: I loved aircraft since I was a child. I grew up in Bushbuckridge, a village where aviation was not part of the vocabulary. I had no sophisticated toys and would play on the streets. We used to stop everything when an aircraft flew overhead so we could wave [at them]. [Later] I saw an opportunity. We saw a lot of business people traveling for business opportunities, especially in the mining sector, to Francophone countries. But they needed to take an airline out of South Africa to France before getting to Gabon, for example. [I thought] when I start an air charter business, those are my target clients. That's my niche market. Those are the people I should put on an aircraft and take straight to Gabon so that they don't have to go to any other country to fly within the same continent.

How challenging was it to break into the airline industry?

After being rejected by various airlines, I felt very disappointed. [But now] I think it was an opportunity for me to start SRS Aviation. Though I did a lot of painstaking research, there were a whole lot of things I was not privy to, critical information which if I had known before, I would not have started my air charter business. It's not an easy industry to get into. It's also a very close community. All aviators know each other all over the world. It doesn't matter if you are an American; you know who's operating an airline or a chartered airline company in South Africa, China, Turkey, wherever.

What is the secret of your success?

I am a risk taker and I don't fear anything. I have nothing to lose and I am not scared to try and work for opportunities. Also, I am passionate about what I do. My success is also because I don't work alone, I have a team that I work with. When you give people an opportunity to spread their wings, they come up with new ideas. Finally, when there's an opportunity we don't procrastinate, we go for it.

What is your next venture?

We have an agency agreement with Weihai Guangtai Airport Equipment, a Chinese company that manufactures ground handling equipment. We market their products in Africa. However, [now] our main interest in ground handling equipment is to actually manufacture or assemble and maintain them in Africa. There is huge opportunity to do this out of South Africa for the entire African continent because nobody at the moment does it in Africa. All the airports import the equipment from different countries, like Germany, Switzerland, the United States and China. Our government has got a budget and is encouraging entrepreneurs to become industrialists. Hence my interest is to manufacture and maintain this equipment in South Africa. The project should be off the ground in the next 12 months.

You started SRS Aviation with about 1.5 million rands (around $105,000) raised from your mother and aunt's pension funds. What is the budget this time?

(Laughs) This is very big, in a different league. We are looking at nothing less than $10 million. That would give us an opportunity to put in place infrastructure, buy the technology and the components and parts we need to build the equipment. My manufacturing company will not only provide skills but there will be an opportunity to train people, create jobs, alleviate poverty, participate in the mainstream of the economy and contribute to the GDP. Those are the things that make me want to do this project.

Where will your new venture be based?

Preferably South Africa because that is where I am based and I will be able to assume responsibility for anything that happens. Also, South Africa is diverse and we are so ahead of most African countries when it comes to banking. We also have a lot of infrastructure and a bilateral trade agreement with China. So investors' investments will be protected.

Are you also looking for Chinese investment?

We are looking for Chinese partnership in various sectors of aviation. We want a company that manufactures drones. Drones are the new technology now. We can do surveillance, we can do photography, use drones in the mining industry, for construction... There are so many opportunities for drones in Africa.

How is China as a market?

I have visited China several times. I first came here more than eight years ago with the South African Department of Trade and Industry. We were exhibitors in a business conference in Shanghai. We had always wanted to do business with Chinese organizations but back then language was a barrier. But lately we are able to communicate better in English. It is difficult to learn Chinese but I see the Chinese are learning English quicker than we would learn their language.

You started SRS Aviation by hiring a plane from Russia. Do you plan to buy your own aircraft?

We are looking at buying two helicopters because we are also starting a tourism project. We plan to launch it before December but we will see how it goes. We are going to have helipads in Soweto, one of our biggest and most famous townships from where our late President Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu come. The street where they grew up is the main tourist area. We are looking at positioning a helipad next to that place. The helicopters will take tourists to key areas like Sun City in South Africa. It will be the first time we will own a helipad.

How do you cope with being a single mother?

I am a single mom with a 14-year-old son and a three-year-old son. I decided not to marry. [In the place] where I come from, there are a whole lot of single mothers. We operate like anyone else. We are not marginalized. One has more independence when you are single mom. It enables you to do business anywhere you want to and at any time. Also, I was raised up by my mother singlehandedly.